Pilot s and engineer s signal foe steamboats



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C. O. ROE.

PILOTS AND ENGINEERS SIGNAL FOR STEAMBOATS. No. 380,350. Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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9 UNITED STATES PATENT rErcE.

CYRENIUS C. ROE, OF W'ALES, NEW YORK.

PlLOTS AND ENGINEERS SIGNAL FOR STEAMBOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,350, dated April 3, 1888.

Application filed December 2'2, 1887. Serial No. 258,643. (No model.)

To aZZ 2077,0172, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OYRENIUs 0. Ron, a citizen of the United States, residing at ales, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pilots and Engineers Signals for Steamboats; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to have a rapid, correct, and simultaneous understanding between the pilots and engineers of steamboats, by which the direction the boat is to go is indicated instantly by sight as well as sound signals, bells, alarms, &c., in connection with the same,and thereby prevent mistakes caused by misunderstanding sound signals alone, which have sometimes disastrous consequences; and the invention consists in the combination,with any alarm, of two indicators or combined indicators and levers-one in the pilot-house and the other in the engine-roomproperly connected together, so that when the pilot moves his lover -indicator it simultaneously moves the one in the engine-room. In

combination with these indicators is a dialboat set on the most convenient place for seeing and reaching with the hand, the bow of said dial-boat indicating the bow of the steam- 5 boat itself. From the upper sides of these dialboats extend up pointers having knobs on the ends. One pointer, exactly in the center,will sh ow that when the lever-indicator stands there the steam is off and the boat at rest. The next o pointer will be midway between the center and the bow,and means or will be labeled Ahead slow. (See Fig. 2.) The next will be near the bow and mean Full speed ahead. The first pointer back of the center means Back 5 or Back slow, and the one in the stern to Go back full speed, or, by shoving the lever still farther back, as in dotted lines, Fig. 1. means Back at fullspeed or Utmost speed, to be used in case of emergency, all as fully hereinafter explained and claimed.

In the drawings, Figurcl represents an elevation of the entire device inposition; Fig. 2, a detail of an indicator with several connections and an ordinary dial marked so as to give the positions.

A represents a dial'boat in the pilot-house; A, the one in the engine-room, as marked in Fig.1, a partition, 0, dividing the two.

a a a represent pointers springing up from the sides of the dial-boats, having knobs on their ends. Notches b b b are formed in the upper edge of the dial-boat, the object to be presently explained.

B B are two lever-indicators, pivoted at cl and connected by rods 0 c or other suitable means, so that the two will move simultaneous] y and instantly in the same direction and both just so far. WVhen the engine is still, these levers stand, as shown in Fig. 1, about in the center of the dial-boats.

In Fig. l the bottom of the indicating-lever B in the engine-room is shown in connection with a gong, D, set below the lever and struck by spring-hammers operated by pawls, which work in ratchet-teeth set on a curve on the bottom of lever B, and bells are also attached to the sides of the lever by springs or otherwise, so that any movement of the lever will ring a hell or strike the gong, and in the pilot-house a bell is shown in connection with his indicator. The manner of connecting these indicators with any special alarm is not claimed,but only their connection with any sounding device to call the attention of the engineer, who instantly looks at his dial-boat and sees that his indicator B is set, for example, to the pointer or notch 61 I), just back of the center and toward the stern of the boat. He knows at once that Back her or Back slow is meant. If the lever is set forward instead of back and toward the bow, it means Go ahead, and if thrown to the extreme of the bow Full speed is wanted, and so on, and with his eye on the dial-boat he operates his engine accordingly, and which does away with any confusion caused by several bells.

By this simple device the pilot or wheelsman has the entirecontrol in his own hands. With his hand (perhaps foot) he pushes the lever-indicator B where he wants it and instantly it repeats itself on the dial in the engine-room, so that the engineer knows exactly what to do, the

alarm first calling his attention to the dial, thus combining hearing and seeing signals. The purpose of the knobs and the notches b b is, in case of darkness, that the engineer or pilot can, by putting hishand on the dial-boat, tell the exact position of his lever-indicator, which always shows the direction that the pilot desires the boat to go and at what speed. The engineer can also communicate with the pilot. By setting his indicator in the center it may mean he desires to stop the engine for the time or to slow up or any other purpose.

If desired, another indicator can be put on the bridge of a steamboat, or one in the captains room, nothing but the proper connections and repeating the dial-boats being necessary.

I claim 1. The dial-boats A A, one placed in thepilot-house and the other in the engine-room of a steamboat, the bow of the dial-boat indicating the bow of the steamer, the two lever-indicators B B, pivoted in front of the dial-boats and connected by rods 0, so that when one lever-indicator is moved the other lever-indicator is moved simultaneouslyin the same direction, and in combination with an alarm, all substantially as specified.

2. The two lever-indicators B B, suitably connected together, the dial-boats A A, one set in the pilot-house and the other in the engine-room, placed in connection therewith ,and having notches b b and pointers a a, and all in combination with bells, gongs, or other suitable alarms, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OYRENIUS C. ROE.

Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE, HENRY F. PITMUELLER. 

